Lions Elton Jantjies clears the ball as Brumbies Josh Valentine runs in to block during the super 15 rugby match in Canberra Saturday, May 14, 2011. The Lions won the match 29 – 20. (AAP Image/Alan Porritt).
Ink in Elton Jantjies as the Boks count down to defending the Rugby World Cup. The South African Junior Player of the Year in 2010, the now 20-year-old fly-half, joined forces with new skipper Josh Strauss to set up the Lions’ shock 29-20 win over the Brumbies in Canberra last night.
The hugely-bearded Strauss, rugby’s answer to WG Grace, was tireless in attack and defence for the entire 80 minutes, leading by example.
But it was Jantjies’ magic that set up two superb tries, the first a perfectly-timed back-handed inside flick to winger Alwyn Hollenbach to score under the posts in the 44th minute.
The second, in the 61st, a 20 metre bust midfield, throwing another perfectly-timed no-look pass infield to full-back Jaco Taute who scooted another 20 metres to touch down.
Two game-breaker five-pointers to go with his three conversions from four, and his only penalty shot.
There’s not much of Jantjies at 176cm (5 foot 9) and 84kgs, but there’s an abundance of natural talent and with Boks fly-half incumbent Morne Steyn having a below par season, Jantjies is a tailor-made replacement come World Cup time.
A shock win for the Lions? Better believe it.
* The first by the Johannesburg-based franchise in Canberra in 16 years.
* Only the fourth win in 24 Super games – adding to the Reds, and the Force victories in 2007, and the Reds in 2009.
* And it followed a 53-19 whupping from the Cheetahs last round at the Lions’ home ground Ellis Park, known as Coca Cola Park.
Lions coach John Mitchell vacuumed the side, making 10 changes for last night – and it worked a treat.
The icing on the cake, the historic win pooped the party for the double celebration of Brumbies skipper Matt Giteau’s 100th Super game – 37 of them under Mitchell’s coaching at the Force – and the 100th Super home game for the Brumbies.
The loss, the ninth in 12 this season, added to the basket-case tag. But the Brumbies started so well, full of energy and passion to lead 10-nil after 18 minutes, then the wheels fell off. Again.
The Brumbies scored the first try of the game, and the last, but in between it was one-way Lions traffic. At one stage the visitors scored 22 unanswered points in 32 minutes on either side of the break as the Brumbies crumbled, and the Lions surged.
The Brumbies continual capitulation is hard to fathom, with 10 Wallabies in the squad.
Led by an all-Wallaby front row of Ben Alexander (24 caps), Stephen Moore (55), and Salesi Ma’afu (10), locks Mark Chisholm (58) and Peter Kimlin (2), half Josh Valentine (5), fly-half Giteau (91), utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper (51), full-back Pat McCabe (1), and bench hooker Huia Edmonds with four.
That’s 301 caps, more than enough to be well into the top half, not languishing second last.
And with two senior players in Giteau, heading for Toulon at seasons end, and Ashley-Cooper to the Waratahs, World Cup winning Boks coach Jake White will inherit a giant-sized headache for next season, his first of four, when he takes over in the capital.
That will test the no-nonsense White to the limit, but back him to make the necessary cultural changes that will return the Brumbies to contention status.
Just as importantly, Wallaby coach Robbie Deans needs the Brumbies to fire.
mudskipper
Guest
Elton Jantjies didn't star... The Lions forwards won that match...
cookee
Guest
mother teresa --------------absolutely with you on this ,all our aust teams (apart from mckenzies reds)blame various factors for non performance;every team has its injuries and its how selections and personnel are handled in the long haul that decides competitiveness. obviously mcqueen has messed up coming back and exposed frailties indicative in culture. graham ,ex wally coach is no guru and held deans back.;players clearly made Friends job untenable at brumbies but his choice of assistants always said to me he was a dead man walking.and sadly the flagship(tahs) the politics continue to destroy their ability to progress.next we will have phil waugh and foley take over and excite me to following league.--we must ask ourselves what the reds are doing different with apparent less resouces;is it the players ,the coaches ,or the culture that mckenzie has nurtured.
Jack
Guest
NONE OF THE PLAYERS HAD THE GUTS TO WALK TO THE STANDS AT THE END OF THE GAME. Huia Edmonds, the fans in the G-L stand recognise your efforts even if the rest of the roarers don’t. Your 10 kilos too light and turn the ball over a bit too often you are a goer who tries hard the while game. Pity the rest of the team don't follow your lead. Come over mate and we will give you a cheer. It was Gitteau's kicking for goal when we had them down to 14 men that turned momentum against the Brumbies. He cannot read a game, is a poor fly half and should not be captain. His selfishness insisting to play there is a prime example of the problem at the core of the team.. The backline was flet, shallow and clueless for the whole game. Larkham should learn his trade in club fottball. The forwards were soft. AAC should be dropped not moved to 13. He made no effort to lead and pulled up at the line on the rare occasion he got involved and refused to run the ball back. The crowd can see how much he cares. See ya mate. Clear them our Jake. Robbie, none of the Brumbies have what it takes to win a world cup. Players leaving should be dropped. The players not trying should be dropped. Play the kids for rest of the season.
Damo
Guest
Things not too pretty in OZ rugbyATM? Tahs -well I won't repeat the concerns that have sparked a rally this week Rebels - no joy through not tackling Brumbies - no joy at all since Caesar's stabbing Force - almost beat crusaders but hardly beat anyone It's just the reds leading the comp with a one point buffer that gives a 'shackle dragger' hope ATM Maybe all teams should be having a fan forum this Thur night ? Perhaps JON could address the nation? Or maybe Link could be the .... Well , the link. For the sake of the Wallabies and unity this year please can we have no more coach or no10 sackings this week? This is not ideal in a World Cup year.
Dexter William
Roar Guru
"Kick it to me!!! Kick it to me!!!" The whole team is pandering to Giteau's playing style. He wants everything to centre around his play. Not sure if everyone in the team is happy with this - perhaps the bad team work. He is not that good any more: 1) How many times did he slip through a gap and score a try or set one up? He has either lost his speed or everyone has worked his play out. 2) He does not take the play to the gain line. His side-on distribution is too easily read. 3) He crabs across field and cramps the space of his outside runners. 4) He is playing out of position. He is not a 10. 5) He does not let others around him to play freely or to be creative, always seems to be asking for them to "kick it to me!!!" Let me show you my magical work. He is over playing his hand, and he is no longer, or should no longer be the "go to man." Really not sure how he will be any good for the Wallabies this season. He is still a good (not great) rugby player, but how is he going to fit in???
Damo
Guest
Yep. But I thought it would be more like seven points than 13. But who could predict SBW's knee. There may have been 14points right there.
IronAwe
Guest
You picked the Cheetahs to beat the Crusaders??
PeterK
Roar Guru
Sportym - It is LOSE or LOSING, not LOOSE or LOOSING which is the opposite of tightening, you made the same mistake in other post. The Brumbies have played worse than the Tahs through the season. They play even a more boring style. How many 4 try bonuses have they had? How many games have they really had a go, and played hard? They lost to a weak Rebels side. They have a reasonable team but are so soft this season and losing multiple games they shouldnt. Waratahs have had significantly more injuries and yes have played ugly but at least they play hard and to win. The Tahs have had more entertaining and good games this season than the Brumbies. The games against Reds (both), the first against the Force, the Chiefs game, the Crusaders game (they both scored 3 tries), the first Rebels game. The poor games Force, Blues, Cheetahs, Rebels, Brumbies. The Brumbies have probably only 1 their very first game against Chiefs.
Sportym
Guest
Fresh. Given I was replying to peterk who was kicking my dog. If the season was only 2 rounds. It's not about loosing or winning drop kick, it's how you play the game. The tah style is boring as. At least we have the reds.
Damo
Guest
Picked all of em except for "lions' thanks Temba. Shoulda put money on.
Deez
Guest
Agree with all the sentiment about thinking towards next year - the silver lining from all this is that it does give the Brumbies a perfect excuse to pull some massive changes to start building something for next year. Think about it from Rea's perspective: * He has already been shown / is showing himself the door next year, so there is only limited downside for him locally (at least with regards to his relationship with the Brumbies). * With his public spray, he has pretty much torn any threads that may have remained of relationship between him and his senior players, so parting with them now doesn't really lose him that much. * Trialling a few new young guns to get some combinations working should yield some attacking and attractive rugby (I figure they'll be more open to throwing caution to the wind), which should go some way to helping bring back some of the support base. * He may even pull together a win or two, which would always look good in his next job interview (on a "trending up" basis...). C'mon Tony - give us something worth watching over the final months of S15!
Deez
Guest
hehehe. Had a smile on my face, Drop Kick.
Deez
Guest
Pretorius is the form 9 in South Africa in my book - even when the rest of the Cheetahs were crumbling around him, he has stood up this season. Has to be in the core squad, particularly with du Preez getting older and in only average form.
Drop kick
Guest
I guess you did not watch the Tahs thrash the reds in round 2. Following your logic the crusaders must lack heart, after all they were well beaten by the cheetahs. Take your frustrations out on your dog not the Tahs.
jeznez
Guest
Moore an hold his head up last night and with TPN unable to play 80 minutes can expect some game time. Not sure about the rest - ideally need Alexander to fire but at the moment the reserve prop who can play both sides looks like being Kepu since Alexander is not playing well. Not too many others from the team can hold their hands up - thought AAC did a couple of good things but pretty much only in the first half hour - wasn't able to get himself into the game in the second half and contribute the way a name player should.
Sportym
Guest
I guess you did not watch the Tahs v Cheetahs then. Sorry but that is the worst I have seen a team play. The Brumbies deserved this and deserve to come last, I think you will find most Brumby fans accept this. I feel more sorry for the tah fans watching the tahs play their style of rugby then the Brumbies loosing. More then happy to watch the Brumbies loose the rest of the games this year, but I will not watch the Tahs play for 80 min and bore me silly with aimless kicking.
Drop kick
Guest
Why do you think theTahs will be moving down? They have been winning consistently this season, have beaten all the other Australian teams at least once this season, most of them twice. They thrashed the Reds, Rebels and Force in the first rounds before they hit a massive injury crisis. Despite having half the starting team on the sidelines they are still winning against the negative game plans of the Rebels , Force etc. Australia's most consistent Super team for the last five years or more who regularly make the finals they are being death ridden by a lot of Aust "rugby fans" many of whom "say" they have switched to supporting other Aust teams who season results are consistently worse than the Tahs. Go figure!
Drop kick
Guest
I reckon Spiro will say that Carter didn't pass the ball at all, Burgess did not make one decent pass and none of the forwards turned up. Shocking coaching and they didn't deserve the 4 points they got.
Fatty
Guest
Well said Ball Boy, Wall-nut, Harry....and well said Tony Rea. Someone had to come out and lay some of the cards on the table. Certainly the CEO/Board haven't. There is still nothing on the Brumbies website re Friend sacking and as a fairly longstanding member, I have received no communication from CEO/Board giving their opinion of what happened that produced the sacking of a contracted coach. My 2 boys no longer interested in going to Canberra. Qld born wife keeps muttering about flying to a game. I get the impression we are not the only 4 memberships that will be lost next year. Only solution short term is partly what Harry said...but I would go further. Last few games don't play anyone who is not available for the Brumbies next year. Let guys like White and Toomua et al show what they have, unhindered by players playing like they don't care/ don't want to do anything that may compromise their higher selection or OS plans for 2012 (to paraphrase Rea)...even if it does mean winning the dreaded wooden trophy.
mother teresa
Guest
HARRY,any head coach espousing culture as underpinning success must clearly understand when recruiting cipriani what hes going to get and very clearly back his OUSTANDING man management skills to modify ciprianis behavior.most clearly he has failed miserably.